Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-11-04
ALLAN QuARTERNAIu.
OR
A BROWNING CITY

As he spoke wonderful and beautiful
thing happened. Down from on high there
flashed splendid living ray of light that
Glove the twilight like a sword Of fire.
Full upon the closed petals it fell, and ran
shimmering down their golden sides; and
then the glorious flower opened as though
beneath the bright influence. Slowly 1t
opened; and as the great petals fell wlde
and revealed the golden altar on which
the fire ever burnt the priests blew blast
upon the trumpets, and from all the peo-
pie there rose a shout of praise that beat
against the domed roof and came echolng
down the marble walls. And now the
flower altar was open, and the sunlight
fell full upon the tongue OF sacred hame
and beat it down, so that it wavered, sank,
and vanished into the hollow recesses
whence it rose. AS it vanished, the mel
low notes of the trumpets rolled out once
more. Again the old priest flung up his
hands and called aloud:
We sacrifice to thee, oh sun!
Once more | caught Nyleptha's eye; it
was fixed upon the brazen flooring.
look outr' / said, aloud; and, as | said
st, ! saw Agon bend forward and touch
something on the altar. As he did 50, the
great white sea Of faces around us turned
red and then white again, and deep
breath went mp like u universal sigh. Ny
leptha Icant forward, and with an lnVoL-
untary movement covered her eyes with
her hand Sorais turned and whispered
to the officer Of the royal body-guard. and
then, with n rending sound, the whole Of
the brazen flooring slid from beneath our
feet, and there in its place was suddenly
revealed a smooth marble shaft termina-
-. -, fr1gr ha-
meath the altar, big enough and hot enough
10 heat the iron stern-post Of n man OF war.
With yell Of terror we sprung back
ward. all except the wretchcd Alphonse,
who was paralyzed with fear and would
have fallen into the fiery furnace which
had been prepared for US, had not Sir
Henry caught him in his strong hands as
he was vanishing and dragged him back.
Instantly there arose the most fearful
hubbub; and we four got back to back, Al
phonse lodging frantically round our little
circle in an attempt to TAKE shelter under
Ourlcgs We all had our reviewers On-for
though we had been politely disarmed Of
our guns on leaving the palace, OF course
these people did not know what revolver
was UmsOpOgaas, too, had his AK, OF
which no effort had been made to deprive
him, and now he whirled it round his bend
and sent his piercing Zulu warshout echo
ing up the marble walls in fine defiant
fashion. Next second, the priests, bailied
III their prey, had drawn swords from be-
meath their white robes and were lraping
on u8 like hounds upon stag at bay !
saw that, dangerous rs action might be,
we must act or be lost; so as the first man
came bounding along and n great tall fell
low he was-l sent Il heavy revolver ball
through him, and down he fell at the
mouth of the shaft, and slid, shricEing
franticnIly, into the fiery gulf that had
been prepared for us.
Whether it was his yclls, or the to them,
awful sound and effect of the pistol Shot,
or what, / know not; but the other priests
halted, paralyZcd and dismaycd, and be-
fore they could come on again SOrais had
called out something, and we, together
with the two queens and most of the cour-
tiers, were being surrounded with wall
of armed men. In moment it was done,
and still the priests hositatcd, and the peO-
pie dung in the balance like n herd of
startled back rs IL were, making no sign
ono way or the Other.
Tho last yell of the burning priest had
died away, the fire had finished him. and a
great silence fell upon the pla,,o
Then the High Priest Agon turned, and
his face was rs the face of n devil. Let
tbe sacrifice he sacrificed u he said TO the
oueens Gins not sacrilcre enough been
done bv tbcso stranrers and would yc. rs
,,rnare fI,rn,,, tI,r cloak of vour majesty
over evil dorrsp Arc not the creatures
sacrpd 10 the sun dead? and is not n priest
nr tI,o sun also drnd Int now slain Inv tho
marie Of These STRANGERS who come rs the
,,.ird3 of hruycn whence we know NOT.
,ul Win, ,rp. what ,ye know not, Rewnre
oh oucens how Va tanner with the great
majesty of the cod even before his high
arr1r. There /, a power that is moro than
ua{yri.. there Is n Justice that is more
Ilan ynll. Justice. Beware how We lift an
impiou4 hand a.;unst il. Let the sacrifice
be- sacr!H ed, ch Guecusr'
rhrn S.a.ll4 made answer in hsr deep.
ut,i.l. t,qrs tI,t. pl,yays seemed to mo TO
hny, y s,,-n.,ipn of nnckrry about them.
however -rr.'nu. the theme: ooh, Agou,
thop has, spoken according to thy desire,
and thou h.rst ,ruken truth. But il is thou
who wuuIdst liz. an impiou, hand against
the Justice Of thy god Brthiul thee, the
midday sacrifice is accomplished; the sun
hath c.. mrd his priest rs a sacrifice"
This v...anuytl i.lra and the peop,e ap-
plauded it.
"Uathipl tlon what urr tbrs, mepy
Ths, ore STRANGER, found floating ON the
bosom Of n I,l,n Who set them here,
How cam, tbo, thorno How, know, va That
they also are not servants of tho SIM, Ia
this the hospitaIitv that We would have our
nntiop show ia those whom chance brings
tn Thorn to tbroyv thrm to the flames?
sham, an va, sh,,no an val Wb,t 4 hos
nifulitvq IN rrrriye tLo str,urcr and
show him favor, To bind M his wounds
and find pillow for his head. and food for
him to eat, But thy pillow il the fiery
furnace and tby food the hot SAVIOR of the
flame Shame ON thee Isoyr'
Sbo n,us,,1 n littIo to watch the effect of
bor sraach upop tho r,uItituda. and seeing
That Il vaa foyorahla rbopgnd her tono
from ona az romopstrsnca IN one If cam
,,ord
"ITnr ,I,co tbor, >, sho crio1 .,,,,oco
s,v. r,aI,n ,y,y fo,. tho orocns ord tboso
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f,nontlnl,
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